


By My Side

by dreamcager



Category: Naruto
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-16 20:35:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3501947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamcager/pseuds/dreamcager
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neji is faced with a terrible scene. For Tenny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By My Side

Neji hardly considered himself sentimental but lately he had begun to think he was just allowing his pride to let him think that. After all, there were certain memories and words he held quite dear to his heart, those that he let fester and shape him at an age when he should not have felt so heavy. But now, now that he was older and wiser and a little less full of himself… perhaps now he could agree that he sometimes allowed his emotions to bring him down. Or lift him up. But that was even more embarrassing to admit.

However, there were times when things were easier to say. His pride always fell to the wayside when danger was afoot. Sometimes it even left him when he was injured, though that happened less often.

Now, though, he felt all self-importance and decorum crumble. At his feet lay his teammates. Tenten was covered in blood and Lee… he was pretty certain legs weren’t supposed to bend that way. With Byakugan active and searching the perimeter he could pretend he wasn’t seeing them this way. Once he was certain there were no longer any enemies about he could lower his guard, but then he had to face reality.

Falling to his knees Neji warred with himself, trying to remember to breathe and to stay calm, just _stay calm_ and maybe they weren’t… Maybe they could still…

“Lee? Tenten?” His voice is soft and doesn’t hold the authority he imagined it should hold. He cleared his throat and tried again, working to keep the panic down. “You… both of you need to stand up. We’re leaving. This mission is… complete.”

If there was a response he couldn’t see it. Already his eyes were gushing with tears, tears that might have made Gai-sensei proud had they not been in this context. His hands reached out, grasping the arms of his teammates, just wanting to magically make things all okay.

“Lee! Tenten! I can’t… We can’t go home like this! You need to… I need…!”

But a shuddering breath that might have been a laugh distracted him and he looked up, blinking past the wetness. Tenten’s chest heaved and she croaked out a smile beyond blood-caked lips. “Don’t you write us off just yet…”

Another shift and Neji turned his head. Lee didn’t speak but he raised a hand, shaking fingers barely managing to shift into a Nice Guy pose.

Then it was Neji would couldn’t breathe. It didn’t seem real.

“See?” Tenten whispered. “As if… we could ever leave your side.”


End file.
